small town street

We don’t all hail from the huge metro areas … in fact, self-employment in rural and suburban America has remained higher than populations of larger cities. Maybe it’s a generational business, or maybe you’ve just realized a need and started offering services to help your neighbors. Either way, there are some things you have to know about running a small business in an even smaller town. 

Solopreneurship in a Small Town

One might think that living in less populated areas would be bad for business, but some of us saw it as an opportunity to offer our skill or craft as a service. I’m sure that your story is similar to thousands of others, including my own. It started as a hobby, or side-hustle, for extra income and word spread fast – as it usually does in small towns – and then you have granny’s-cousin’s-mother-in-law calling you about a new opportunity. (True story.)

Now you have to make that decision: Continue to enjoy what you do as a part-time passion? Or dive into it as a full-time business? Either way, you’re still a new business owner. Whether you’re a family photographer, landscape designer, website designer, or the local go-to wedding DJ, you are a solo business owner that has a lot of hats to wear. This may come with some challenges, especially as you’re working on growing your business.

Start Small, Think Big 

Before you’re waist deep in running your business, or maybe you’re already there, the best advice I can give you is to start small, but think big. Maybe it’s my conservative side on display here, but I like to take things slow before rushing into big business “decisions”. 

Starting a business is a lot of work, even if it’s just a part time gig. There is so much to think about, and typically you’re already juggling a handful of clients. So, take a breath and start small. 

Here are a few things to consider when getting started. Keep in mind, this is not everything, but what is most often overlooked when starting a new business. 

  • What does your client experience look like?
  • How many new clients can I handle at one time?
  • What should I charge for my services? (Remember to be fair to yourself) 
  • How am I going to accept payments from clients?
  • Do I need to register my business? Do I need to charge sales tax? (Probably yes, and yes) 
  • What is my long-term goal for my business? (Where do you see yourself in 5 years?)

And so much more, but for now let’s focus on what is getting your business off the ground. 

It’s All About the Client Experience 

Your client experience is perhaps the most important aspect of any solo business. This is what keeps your business moving forward, and keeps clients coming back or sending you great referrals. Why does your client experience matter when you’re doing business in a small town? Because how your clients feel after working with you will determine if you get more new clients. 

What is the Client Experience?

Client experience is a process and system from the time a lead says hello, all the way through your services and then goodbye (and paid). We like to break them down into four separate processes: 

  • Lead Process: The means of capturing new business and making sure they have key information about your service.
  • Booking Process: How you turn your leads into paying customers. 
  • Onboarding Process: An exchange of information between you and your client to gather what you need to know about them, and what they need to know about your service. Your client should feel confident working with you through this process, and you can use this time to set clear expectations. 
  • Fulfillment Process: Fulfilling the service, sending any deliverables, finalizing payments, and sending off a happy client on their merry way. 

Think about your client experience based on their feelings. How does my client feel before they meet me? How do I want them to feel during and after working with me? Then based on those findings, work on the plan to make it happen. 

Mapping out a client experience will also help you create a process that is repeatable. Your business cannot survive without some repeatable processes. Yes, of course things go off the rails sometimes, but overall having a repeatable client experience will help you move through any derailments easier. 

Here are some of the headaches that a good client experience should save you from:

  • Going back-and-forth with email communications with new or current clients 
  • Deadlines being missed
  • Losing documents or notes
  • Too much time spent in meetings or on the phone
  • Invoices not being paid
  • Sad/Mad clients

A truly successful client experience adds value to your client relationship. This could be as simple as a handwritten thank you card, or strategically asking for feedback to continue to improve your business. This is a quick video from Joey Thomas about how to bring more value to that client experience. Check it out here.

People Talk (Good and Bad) 

We didn’t have to watch Sweet Home Alabama, Steel Magnolias, Gilmore Girls, or even a personal favorite of mine, Schitt’s Creek to know the main thing about living in a small community – PEOPLE TALK. Word gets around and that’s probably how you started your business in the first place. Here’s the good and the bad of it. 

A good thing about the way word spreads is that you don’t have to be a marketing genius. People will talk and praise your business to their friends and family so you don’t have to spend or strategize how you’ll build your business. And by taking care of your clients with a great experience, you’ll continue to earn new business. It’s a win-win.

Now here’s the not-so-great part of being the town’s newest business owner. PEOPLE TALK. Bad news often moves faster, and it’s hard to control the damage. You can’t go into business thinking you’ll never get a bad review. Because honestly, you can’t be everyone’s cup of tea. 

Here’s what you need to know to combat any negativity. You can avoid potential clients that might turn out disastrous by having a good lead system in your client experience. This means you may have to say ‘no’ sometimes, but it’s important to protect your reputation and brand by not working with your ideal client. (Even if it means leaving that money on the table. It’s NOT worth it.) 

Another common issue you may encounter is people spreading the news about your pricing. When you give your best friend’s sister a discount, she tells everyone she knows that you’re “super cheap” (ick) … then it leaves a bad taste in any new lead’s mouth when suddenly it’s not cheap for them. So, the lesson learned (yes, I learned this lesson too) … charge what you’re worth, not what you think people will pay. If you give a discount, make it known to your client so word doesn’t spread that impacts your bottom line. And finally, don’t do work for free. Pricing is already the bane of most solo business owners existence, so don’t make it harder for yourself. 

Running a business big or small, alone or with a team, is hard work. HARD WORK. I remember feeling the cringe when clients asked me if I was going to send them a bill … yes, they WANT to pay you, but sometimes taking that extra 10 minutes to write up an invoice is too much and it gets put off. We all go through it. That’s when you need to take a breather and go back to your plan. Learn how much business you can handle at one time, and go from there.

Here’s to taking a leap and diving into the solo business world. There’s a lot of business to be made in small towns across the country. Having a great client experience, a good reputation, and the humility to embrace your mistakes will take you far. … maybe even out of that small town and into a big city.

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